BHS student Elizabeth Garrett was forced to remove the sweatshirt, the SPLC says. The letter also seeks to overturn a policy prohibiting same-sex dates at the school prom.

"At Brookwood, like in too many Alabama schools, gay students and those perceived as gay face unfair treatment," said Sam Wolfe, an SPLC attorney, according to a press release. "Too often, gay students also face serious harassment at school. No student should be singled out for unfair treatment or be denied their basic rights at school.”

In the letter, the SPLC gives the school district until Feb. 1 to stop its censorship of speech supportive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and its prohibition against same-sex couples at the prom. If the school district does not comply with those demands, the SPLC will file a federal lawsuit seeking an injunction, damages and attorneys’ fees.

Garrett, a 10th grader at BHS, wore a hooded sweatshirt with the slogan, "Warning, This Individual Infected With 'The Gay,' Proceed With Caution" to express her support of gay people.

A BHS school official demanded she remove the sweatshirt, claiming it was distracting. Garrett was released to class only after she removed the hoodie and placed it in her backpack, according to SPLC.

The same administrator reportedly told Garrett that same-sex couples would not be permitted to attend the school's prom in May. Garrett said she plans to attend the prom with another female BHS student.

Brookwood Principal Laura McBride was not available Wednesday for comment. An office attendant said she was out for the day.

Tuscaloosa County Schools superintendent Frank Costanzo was also unavailable for comment Wednesday. His office said he will make a statement at 3 p.m. at the central office.

The SPLC’s letter to BHS contends statements supportive of LGBT people as well as attending prom with a same-sex date are protected under the First and 14th amendments to the Constitution. The letter cites federal court precedents, including a ruling that struck down a school board’s ban on clothing expressing support for LGBT people as unconstitutional. In that case, the school had to pay $325,000 for the students’ legal fees, the SPLC said.

The letter further explains that if there are students who will act disruptively in reaction to Elizabeth’s hoodie or her attending the prom with a girl, BHS has a duty to counter the disruptive students, not prohibit Elizabeth’s speech and rights as a citizen.